Integrated Bed Actuator Load Sensing for Harsh Hospital Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load sensors installed outside beds face challenges such as exposure to harsh hospital environments, difficulty in securing waterproof, dustproof, impact-resistant, and vibration-resistant performance, and inconvenient disconnection during bed movement.
Innovation Solution
A load sensor-containing actuator with a rotatably supported screw shaft, a female threaded member, and an actuation rod body, integrated with a thrust bearing, actuation cylinder, detection cylinder, and strain gauge, allowing for load measurement within the actuator's base body, with signal detection via electric wiring or wireless communication, and a detachable support member for varying load ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a load sensor is installed separately from the bed, then the load can be detected, but the sensor and cable are exposed to harsh hospital environments making it difficult to secure environment resistant performance
Solution Approach 1:
The load sensor is integrated into the actuator base body, merging the sensor function with the existing actuator structure. This eliminates the need for separate sensor installation and protects the sensor from harsh environments by housing it within the actuator's sealed base body.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator base body serves multiple functions: it houses the motor, supports the screw shaft, and now also contains the load sensor. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components and improves reliability by protecting the sensor within the existing actuator structure.
2Ease of operation
If a load sensor is installed separately from the bed, then the load can be detected, but the sensor must be disconnected whenever the bed is moved
Solution Approach 1:
The load sensor is merged with the actuator, which is an integral part of the bed structure. This integration ensures that the sensor moves with the bed and remains connected during bed movement, eliminating the need for disconnection and maintaining continuous load detection capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the detection cylinder and strain gauge are added to the actuator, then load measurement capability is achieved, but the base body structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The detection cylinder and strain gauge are nested within the actuator base body, utilizing the existing internal space. The detection cylinder is positioned between the actuation cylinder and support member, and the strain gauge is attached to the detection cylinder, creating a compact nested arrangement that adds load measurement capability without significantly increasing external dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The load measurement function is added in a different dimensional space within the base body. The detection cylinder extends in the axial direction of the screw shaft, utilizing the vertical space within the base body rather than increasing the horizontal footprint, thus adding functionality while maintaining compactness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The actuator provides secure environment resistance and eliminates the need for separate load sensor disconnection during bed movement, enabling compact integration and easy calibration, reducing assembly costs and complexity, while allowing for adaptable load measurement across different ranges.
Implementation Method 1
The detection cylinder compressed in the axial direction is elastically deformed to bulge out in the middle portion like a barrel, and the strain gauge fixed on the outside surface is deformed in response to the elastic deformation
Implementation Method 2
a strain gauge is attached to the outside surface of the detection cylinder
Implementation Method 3
the base body is provided with a thrust bearing coaxially with the screw shaft and an actuation cylinder supporting the one end side of the screw shaft in the axial direction via the thrust bearing
Data Source
AI summary
Various means for detecting the load on the bottom of a bed are proposed, but they have various problems, since the load sensor is provided separately from a bed or installed outside a bed.This invention solves the abovementioned problems by a load sensor-containing actuator in which one end side of a screw shaft 1 is rotatably supported by a base body 2; a female threaded member 3 is engaged with the screw shaft; and an actuation rod body 4 fixed to the female threaded member can advance and retreat in the axial direction of the screw shaft, wherein the base body is provided with a thrust bearing 6 coaxially with the screw shaft and an actuation cylinder 7 supporting the one end side of the screw shaft in the axial direction via the thrust bearing; a detection cylinder 9 is provided between the actuation cylinder and a support member 8 for the base body; and a strain gauge 10 is attached to the outside surface of the detection cylinder.The present invention relates to a foldable side rail for a bed or the like, particularly a foldable side rail in which multiple strut members are pivotally rotatably connected between an upper crosspiece member and a lower crosspiece member to form a parallel link mechanism.